Hearts Under Shadows
by ChitandaKei
Summary: "Misaki . . . how can I love you?" After the Izanami incident Misaki finds new strength and resolve in Section 3 to fight back in a Tokyo suppressed by the American Embassy. However, when Evolution makes her come back so does Hei and Misaki struggles to fight the inner shadows that he returns to her heart. But as secrets bloom she isn't sure how much longer she can keep herself.
1. Before Shadows

That day, we all died. It didn't matter where you were or whose side you were on, a part of all of us disappeared into the gate. For the mere seconds that the light, Izanami's light, erupted from the core of Hell all of mankind held their breaths. Suspended between the stairway to evolution and the abyss of eventual extinction we held our breaths and looked into our hearts.

_But it was never about that now was it . . . Hei?_

Fate was cruel but I ran towards you, legs in desperate gallop and devoid of all sense of rationality or direction. Although, this was the gate where all things were possible and if it was possible that you would be dragged into Hell's gate for eternity I planned on taking you back. However, in the corners of my wild eyes I saw the odds stacked up against me.

Mao flew onto my pendulum like shoulder, his perch brought with him the night that lurked us. My defiant eyes refused to waver in front of the nights foreboding. I refused to think that if everything went wrong that this night would not bring another morning - or, that from where we were we could descend into a dark darker than black.

I refused to acknowledge the screams of my heels and toes as they strained to dance around the rubble and bodies that seemed to crackle at my hope. I refused to acknowledge the emptiness of my machine gun. I refused to be uncertain. I refused death and I refused to let you go.

"My wish could still come true." I murmured.

I ran on to see that Mao's eyes mirrored mine and without our eyes deterring from the light ahead of us he said.

"Yes, but remember the gate gives but it can take as well."

With shadows of doubt creeping up inside my heart I wondered if, like Suou, it was too late for me.

My heart though, stopped.

"Hey! Don't just stop like that- "

I looked up and any insecent twitterings in my ear were rendered unheard as my only star began to pulse in my eyes. Expanding, it grew out of the perimeters of my endless gaze.

BK201's star was shining once more. . . Madame Oreilles words came to me.

_Make a wish . . ._

A millisecond flashed before I was flying. A floating spectator between the heavens and hell. Mao and I cast our gaze down upon Hei and Izanami- the beginings of the end.

Surprise gripped me as in place of Izanami stood Yin but I had no time to process that thought as my sight expanded to you as you gripped her heart. And as if you had my beating heart in those gloved hands I was captivated by your conviction.

But the brightness of Hei's power threatened to consume Yin and I both as my heart raced to keep up with the fast turning cogs in my brain -

Wakaranai

Wakaranai

However, the light had already taken us into its bright embrace -

WAKARANAI

It was all over

_Make a wish . . ._


	2. Accomplice: Unknown

**Hi everyone! Thank you for reading the other chapter it's my first fanfic and for some reason I have decided to write a long one so I appreciate the support. Hopefully this chapter isn't too long so bear with me it should all come together in the next chapter.**

**I haven't been at school because of the 12 week summer holiday so if there are any grammar mistakes please let me know. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Darker Than Black.**

_Why is it that, even though your star has returned, you still can't light that third path you had me put so much faith in?_

Nothing but black filled the confines of her absent gaze. Motionless in her sorrowed grace, she looked up upon what New York had to offer up as a night sky. As her parted pink lips allowed an exhale, Mother Nature too seemingly allowed itself the same release. The breeze encouraged the uncharacteristically untied hair tresses to fly freely in front of her face. She seemed to glow against the back drop of the night sky – along with all of the other counterfeit stars.

Misaki Kirihara had changed.

Mao finally separated himself from the encompassing shadow of the banana plant pot that sat snugly in the corner of the balcony. He slunk into the favouring montage of city lights that painted his glossy fur in police reds and blues, along with the warm yellow glow of hundreds of office lights in an otherwise monotone New York. It was the first time he had moved in the sombre forty-five minutes that she had stood there and the third time he had to succumb his rational brain to the elusive enigmatic display of (What Mao could manage to deduce anyway.) her vulnerability.

He could have been debriefing her; he could have been on their flight back to Japan but, something told him to stay with Kirihara. He couldn't rationally comprehend this decision; however, Misaki looked like she needed it.

With a calculated pounce he was poised on the balcony railing to the right of her peripheral vision. It interested the rational cat how the Misaki of two hours ago was bright and brimming with resolve when taking down one of the syndicates higher-ups, whilst_ this_ Misaki seemed lost in the midnight blue of the immense sky, her doe eyes looking stretched to their limit. But which one was it?

Mao edged closer to the oblivious Kirihara in order to better see whether, despite all of her successful plans and interrogations, she was really cut out for life underground.

Suddenly, her eyebrows furrowed so furiously that they entered a swift collision course with each other, causing that all too familiar crease to appear on her porcelain skin. Then, all of a sudden, Misaki's posture seemed to scream an agitated defiance in response to some unknown stimulus.

Mao leapt off of the railing to rush to the sacred balcony doors that would free him from this chill. Watching her was the equivalent to watching paint dry, though in spite of himself, Mao was inwardly (and mildly) amused as he waited for her to slide the door open. The past five months was like watching a child grow accustomed to swimming without a float. He just hoped that she wouldn't drown.

Annoyed to find his shivering body subjected to the biting cold for another few minutes, he thought that subtle may not have been the best way to go about it . . .

She would have stayed there for hours, but the scratching became incessant.

Misaki had been awakened by Mao taking a devilish pleasure in scraping his ivory claws languidly against the glass of the balcony door. Ever since then, she had done everything in vigorous haste in fear of the offending sound and the repair costs. It was why her drained eyes had fallen on the disappointing sight of her half filled coffee mug whilst Mao ate, oblivious to how much she wanted to get herself a handful of burgers. What was worse was that the coffee was sugarless.

Yet, when sat back against the balcony railing, with both legs bent and balancing her coffee, she still denied that fact that she had been pressured by an alley cat. Misaki let her eyes drift to a close; she put the hot mug against her cold and yearning lips to take a sip although when she emerged from the rationed drink, she found a pair of eyes on her ankles. She sighed.

In the few days that she had stayed at the hotel, Misaki had been painfully aware of the translucent T-shirts, high riding dresses and the lack of warm pyjamas that had been packed in her tiny rucksack by Madame O herself. Underneath her mock anger, there was a slightly flustered self conscious woman; _she_ knew that the sports bra and shorts she was wearing was revealing, though she really didn't need _him_ to acknowledge that.

"Mao," She growled, her warning earning a innocent stare from the cat.

"Valkyrie," He retorted knowing that the codename Section 3 allocated Kirihara didn't sit too well with her. However, when Misaki brushed that aside, she found herself pleasantly surprised at how she was scolding a cat contractor, who was also her partner, for perving on her ankles.

"The lead that Madame O had me follow was a dead end. Shinji Okajima's mind was evidently wiped of any useful information concerning the future plans and motives of the Syndicate. Although, I did get something out of him."

"What was it?" Mao half said to the cat food below him.

"It seems that the syndicate is looking for someone and is desperate to get this said person," Misaki's voice dropped to murmur. She could feel Mao shift uneasily from the development, she wasn't surprised because if it was what she thought it was then their position could be compromised.

"Who? Could this be connected to the recent contractor disappearances?"

"Unfortunately, I think it's possible that they are," Misaki solemnly replied.

Misaki now had Mao's full attention, meal discarded he looked square into her eyes before exclaiming,

"That's not possible! The Syndicate have been reduced to mere scraps and echo's, they don't have the power to kidnap groups of contractors like what's been happening recently. Unless –"

". . .unless they are conspiring with an underground organisation, I know, but it wouldn't be in the interest of the Mafia or even the police to back such a powerless group," Misaki interjected, her own words had taken her into a cloud of thought; with a frown on her face she once again tried to consider the possible accomplices.

"If that's the case Valkyrie then we've been had. We'll need to inform HQ of this second party or else we'll be in way over heads."

"I will check the database for any activity that will give away the unknown accomplice. It will take a few minutes."

Even though the cool air of rationality had embraced her, she felt that there was something else in the breeze that whisked her hair and it was seeping into her insides. Misaki once again found herself tilting her head to look into the face of the stars for guidance as she tried to quell the deep foreboding that was invading her.

"Misaki!" She shot up, the air had changed completely, everything instantaneously became threatening.

"Was there anything between you and November 11?"

"What? No, I -"

"Have you or have you not been in contact with November 11 recently?" Mao pressed. He sprung himself closer towards Misaki, causing her to jump. She was thrown into a state of confusion and she was very good at keeping a calm head.

"What are you talking about? November 11 is DEAD!"

"Yes, but it's seems that various groups think that you have received valuable information from him."

"What information?"

"There's no time. We need to leave, now." he said, his hurried steps took him underneath her bed to retrieve a ball. He dropped it from his mouth where it exploded into a smoke that would stop their fingerprints from showing up when the unknown groupinvestigated the room. Then Mao drew the balcony curtains.

By this time, Misaki was already on the balcony and sliding the door shut. With keys in hand she, as casually as the situation would let her, leant against the railing before they slipped out of hands and land purposefully onto the balcony of her inside agent. Not a second later, the blonde came out before dashing back inside once Misaki indicated to the bush below where all of the information she had gathered from the Syndicate's spies was in a padlocked suitcase for him to take ahead.

Hearing the tap on the door told her that the smoke had cleared. She sped towards it, each step threatening the immense foreboding in her to over flow. In her urgency to leave she burst into the room.

"Valkyrie, no!" The next few seconds were in treacle as Mao's words delayed and lethargically replayed over the impossible scene of five men, one with Mao under his foot, with four of their guns trained on all four limbs and one on her forehead. It was the first time in 5 months that she had missed her trivial criminal chases with Satiou. The blonde in the middle, who had the gun on her forehead, spoke first,

"Let's be rational here, just tells us what your husband November told you and we will all leave here with no casualties."

Husband?

_Husband?!_

Most people didn't even think that she could get a boyfriend.

**Are you interested? Hope so because everything comes into context in the next chapter. Don't worry everybody's favourite dark contactor will make his appearance soon. :)**

**Kei.**


	3. When Warm And Icy Memories Return

**Hey guys I apologize for the 3 week gap life has suddenly revved up for me. In this chapter I have tried to move things along and try structuring my writing a little differently. It's a bit of a gamble but hey, you won't know until you try right? **

**Enjoy the 2nd chapter. :)**

Chapter II:When Warm and Icy Memories Return

"Hei"

"Yes?"

"Don't leave me alone, Hei"

"I will come back-"

"Hei . . ."

"I promise."

No matter how frequently they spoke, no matter how much heartfelt sorrow her few meek words bled, Hei could not change the fact that her dry mouth would not open. He couldn't change that her magenta eyes would remain indefinitely closed or that, beneath the chest that Hei rested his hand on and despite all of her feelings, her heart would not beat any faster. It was an infrequent and dull thud to his ears.

Hei turned away from Yin's resting body and exited the bare and decaying bedroom. She had been in a coma ever since the incident, sometimes they could communicate for short bursts telepathically but he wasn't sure that her affections could ever completely satisfy his empty heart.

His green coat hung limp and lifeless on the coat rack as he walked towards it, the worn floorboards releasing a whining creak in disapproval of his weight. Russia had provided Hei with sanctuary in a cheap old apartment complex on the edge of a ghost town. It was one of the last places he could go; everywhere else would only bring back blood and regret. Japan had became the centre of two disasters and because of this he vowed that he would never go back especially since _she_ was still there. Thinking of her was a double edged sword, on one hand, it brought back the pain he felt when he thought that she had betrayed him and disgust in himself at how he could think about her when Yin needed his help. But, it also elicited a foreign clench inside him. It was a red area for him when he thought of her name. The feeling was ambiguous, but, he wasn't sure whether if, sometimes, it wasn't welcome.

Stepping out into the icy air, when the abyss of his anguish is torn by another presence, Hei found himself frozen because he was suddenly made conscious of being intently and leisurely watched. After Heavens war he had never had to feel the emotions of the prey, how their hearts would stop when sensing a superior and more intelligent predator, so that fact that this predator wanted him to know that it was aware of Hei being aware of it, was concerning.

An abrupt heated tingle crept up his spine. The intruder was in the apartment -Hei swung round . . .

* * *

It was inevitable really, with five guns pointed her and one cat down it was only a matter of time before her superiority complex took over. Although before turning the tables, Misaki was first a very rational woman and second a police officer; she needed them to talk.

"I don't know who you guys are, but I can sure you that I am not the one you're –" she started but the blonde broke in.

"It's okay Ichinose we already know who you are. We were supposed to receive the information that November gave to you; however he is not here and he assured us that the intel is with his wife," he paused and waited for her to react. She had no idea who had set her up but it appeared that they were able to grab hold of Section 3 information from six months ago. . .

* * *

The slide of a wire pierced the silence before a split blade buried itself into the figures right shoulder. Hei didn't want to make any excuses this time. When his gloved hand threw the door open, he collided into a humid air that was not their when he left. The atmosphere felt foreign like someone had lived a lifetime in his apartment. Hei ran further in; the sudden warm atmosphere did not fit in with the lone figure that sat on his wooden chair.

Watching the oozing blood spew from the figures shoulder, his attention was drawn to the white crescent of a smile that split through the darkness. The open ocean of his golden eyes locked Hei's gaze,

"We have a job for you, Hei"

* * *

"Say, did your husband mention anything to you about subjects: One, Four or Five?" he asked in the most sincere tone of voice despite a very threatening step forward but he was still two metres away from her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw that the night sky peaked through a fairly wide gap in the curtains which Mao was facing.

"How about a swap? Tell me who you work for and we might have a deal," she bluffed and took the opportunity to take slow, nonthreatening steps towards the kitchen counter as she talked. A light chuckle from the blonde, graced the air when he finished he said,

"I don't think so honey though if you cooperate then I'm sure we can work something-"

"And if I refuse?"

" . . . "

"Then you die," stated the brunette trained on her left leg. That was all the ex-cop needed to know . . .

* * *

"Where is Yin?" Hei demanded. The man's face kept its glint of humour but said nothing. In result a surge of electricity sped down the wire, although less than a centimetre way, with a look of indifference, the man lifted his index finger and tapped the tip of the hissing sparks out of existence. Taken a back Hei finally pulled the blade out of the man's shoulder; the blood darkened the trench coat whilst the wearer remained unfazed.

"I'm going to make this perfectly clear, Yin is dead to you until you bring one of our contractors back. Our leader treats life like a game of cards; your target and Yin are our aces and she has decided that you shall be her king of hearts-"

The scream of a wire being released interrupted the silky voice as it wrapped around his neck. Instinct had kept Yin hidden, instinct made him forget the pain of his heart being torn apart because yet again he couldn't protect a loved one and it was instinct that made him go in for the kill. . .

* * *

All hell broke loose. Somersaulting over the kitchen counter she took cover from the array of bullets that flew at her and buried themselves in its side. Crouching, she stole a breath of air before her body lunged to the side, out in the open, and threw the four kitchen knives that had been previously stationed in the knife rack, at the two trigger happy men; it was a leg each according to Hazuki's previous training session. Misaki cringed.

To Misaki their descent to the carpet was in slow motion. She slid the Berretta out of her sports bra with practised ease before taking aim and shooting the gap between the two muscles in their arms.

Meanwhile, the raven that Mao had high jacked was currently disarming the brunette in the midst of a flurry of feathers. The fight revved up her way, Misaki grimaced before awkwardly back flipping to narrowly avoid another batch of bullets – she decided to steal another breath. Simultaneously, the vase behind her, shattered into her back. Cursing her incompetence she charged towards the man who had discarded his gun for an axe . . .

* * *

Hei's black trench coat swished around his legs as he made his way out of his room and to the door. His side wound bled into the fabric, the purple bruise on his neck throbbed; he had just changed.

"Hei," said the yellow eyed man. Hei slowly turned his head back.

"We are glad that you have decided to aid us, Yin will be better off because of this. We have the facilities to monitor her and administer the required treatment that you were not aware of."

"I saved her life-" he started.

"No, you destroyed the other half of her soul because you didn't want to accept that she would be lost to you forever as Izanami. Because of this, evolution will pass on Izanami's task to someone else,"

* * *

The all too familiar cock of a gun had Misaki behind the axe man just in time for the pellet to sink dangerously deep into his body. So, wide eyed and winded he fell into oblivion in which she took the opportunity to create a distraction. Misaki bent down and flung the axe in the direction of the blonde and brunette who just missed it by the skin of their teeth when they fell to their knees. The brunette dropped his gun and when he was wide open, the itching came again.

Mao noticed her eyes glaze over . . .

"You're a dog Reaper. You were once a great wolf, the Alpha male but you ended up chasing your own tail and now you are so dizzy that you can't even remember the path that you're on," he said with that tone of amusement, his eyes were closed.

"Then why waste my time if you think so low of me?" asked Hei his curtained eyes giving his company a cold stare. He wasn't in the right mind to understand what he meant and his neck hurt.

"Our leader has reason to believe that the syndicate is gathering elite contractors including Yin, our contractor and yourself so we will be taking all of you into our arms; the only thing that you get to decide is whether you will die like wolf or die like a dog."

He noticed her lift her hand up and cock the gun . . .

* * *

Hei was mute.

* * *

. . . before he noticed the glittering sheet of ice hug her bare legs and her trigger set hands . . .

* * *

"Are you interested in Misaki Kirihara?" Hei had been reaching for the door handle to leave and his mouth went dry. _That _feeling came again and red enveloped his thoughts; it was warm . . .

He shook it off.

"It's okay Hei, I'm interested in her too," the man smiled once more. It was a brilliant smile, it truly was.

"Who are you?" Hei murmured.

* * *

Mao snapped his head back to the apartment door . . .

* * *

"I am Zero."

* * *

"Hello Misaki, I hope playing my wife was fun because now I'm going to kidnap you," a small smile graced his lips. November 11 took off his sunglasses.

. . .

**Whooo! This took ages i'm itching to write the next chapter and move the plot along because it's really slow. I will really try to condense my writing so we can get to the meat of things because it's not fair on you guys to wait so long for Misaki and Hei to meet. Thanks for reading and following and stuff it means a lot. **

**Kei**


	4. Introducing The First

**Hi everybody it's been awhile. It's really hard for me to keep remembering that I am writing a story and not a novel but hey. Perfection comes with practise and art comes after a lot of mess. Anyway, I am writing ahead of my uploads (If that makes any logical sense) and at the moment I writing the love scene. I am so excited whoo! Review and stuff but most importantly enjoy my chums!**

**Chapter III**

Bound and blindfolded in the back seat, Misaki's eyes unconsciously fluttered like a butterfly in a net; it was disorientating when you couldn't see when another car beam was going to hit your face next. As New York blurred past her in the Mercedes Benz, the irritation, confusion, helplessness and the embarrassment of being captured by a dead man in her skimpy sports bra and shorts, had been built up during the last 15 minutes in the unusually quiet company of November and Mao.

She inwardly sighed, Misaki wouldn't admit to herself that she had been moulded slightly by the Madame O's influences as, by now, she would have bombarded November with torrents of questions that would help her to understand her situation. They were there, the questions tickled the tip of her tongue, but she wasn't that naïve anymore. He would tell her when she needed to know. Misaki still trusted November that way.

"Misaki, you haven't said a word," he said sincerely

"Neither have you,"

"Yes but this isn't the same Kirihara I know. She would see this as the perfect opportunity to interrogate me when we're alone and I can't escape. I thought you'd be thrilled."

"I thought you'd be dead"

"Come now that's not nice"

"Hey! I'm still here you know just tell us what we all want to know Pretty Boy," Mao piped in. November put on a pensive face as if to consider it then it reverted back to a dry chuckle.

"No, I want the Police Chief to ask, just like she used to," he stated,

"She's not with Foreign Affairs anymore, who are you working for and how do they know about Misaki and Section 3?"

"Not telling," he said childishly, eliciting an equally as childish scoff from Misaki. She hasn't felt like herself for a while but she refused to cave at anyone's request especially November's. The next five minutes was once again filled with silence however, this time it was a defiant silence. She continued to rub the tip of her tongue (with just a little more vigour) on the roof her mouth . . .

"Trust your instincts Misaki," November said it as softly as the first time.

The rubbing came to an abrupt halt; she took a moment to let the old tingle return, she tilted her head in November's direction and asked,

"MI6 confirmed you as dead three years ago so how are you still alive?"

Misaki remembered how blind she was when she found herself guessing what his expression was when the atmosphere dropped to cold and serious.

"Where was the last place I was seen?" she hesitated.

"At MI –"

"Before that"

"Evening Primrose-"

"Who was I with? Think about it Misaki." The pause was cursory though it casted away Misaki's blissful ignorance on the matter. Mao's eyes widened and he murmured,

"Of course"

"Amber," she said. Misaki's heart plunged a bit despite her previous lack lustre she was relieved to see him. When her hands were frozen in the apartment and she first saw him in the door way, she felt like she was back with Satiou and Kanami in Tokyo. However, this meant that he was from the past sent by Amber to probably change the future. She could never go back to those happier times when everyone was alive.

"But why?" Mao retorted.

"I am on my last job for Madame Oreille. Let's just say that she is a difficult person to outwit and I owe her, nevertheless, I am ensuring that she gets all of the trump cards in this game and my job is to take you to them before The Syndicate do."

"Yes, but why did you need to go in the future-", the car stopped. It made her stomach go funny. The sound of the driver's door opening let her know that hers would be next. The rush of night air made her tense again as her hands and feet were being untied - something furry was placed in her arms.

November lightly held Misaki's wrist guiding her into a building, where from there they descended down some stair cases. She almost tripped on the last step but he kept her balanced and a jingle of keys was heard before they walked into a vast room. They walked in further and to a keypad activated door- probably reinforced. The blindfold slid off and it took a moment to let the surroundings sink in.

"Because, it was too late. The subjects were already out of my possession and Amber told Madame Oreille that it was imperative that _she_ gets her hands on them in order for the future to go on its correct path," November replied but Misaki was only half- listening.

It was July. She was in a lab or testing room of some sort where July was hooked up in a cylindrical container filled to the brim with fluid. Misaki noticed that with every breath his small blonde locks floated up like the head of a jellyfish. July was alive.

"That isn't July Misaki," she swerved back around to November, eyes ablaze.

"Then why are you showing me this? Give me answers November this isn't a game. All you seem to be doing is showing me dead comrades that I will never get back. What are you trying to-"

"Misaki, this is my family. July is my son," he said before holding her firmly by the shoulders and staring into her eyes.

"Listen, walk to the back of 'July's' the life support system. I can't go with you but she will explain the rest," he turned to leave but Misaki wasn't going to take it lying down.

November's arm was dragged backwards and he turned into Misaki's embrace. He was stiff, she didn't expect him to return it but ever so slowly he put his arms around her like a father would, Misaki said:

"Why? You are a good man I don't understand why fate took you out of the world. I still shed a tear for you even to this day. It's not right that you suffered for my -"

"Thank you, Misaki," she felt the arms around her back tighten before she felt no arms at all.

"I suppose that Amber's power has a limit to how long another person can be in time for," stated Mao but Misaki already rounded to corner. A blonde woman hung naked and chained to a metal wall behind the cylinder. Her eyes opened- an ethereal grey just like July's.

"He couldn't come himself huh?" she said her voice was like velvet though her eyes screamed contractor.

"Who –"

"I am his wife, his real wife and we are The First. June is subject Four and I Five . . ."

"He's a contractor-"

"We were married before that. The First are the ones who began to change before the stars disappeared. It started two months before, our twins were five when June stopped smiling and from there it escalated he stopped crying and complaining for things once I said no. By the end of the first month June was a completely rational being and I began to change as well," she paused waiting for any questions. Misaki just stood there utterly focused.

"It was much quicker than June's change and it effected November the most; after three days I lost interest in sex and November himself, it was only necessary to bring up the children. But one day, he called a counsellor to the house without my permission. Of course I dropped their suspicions by lying however when the counsellor insisted on seeing June I used my power to kill him."

"What is your power?"

"Cellular decay, I killed his brain cells. November had popped out for a business meeting halfway through the interview and when he came back there was a dead man in our house. He still loved me and tried to run away with us but MI6 had already detected us. They had no interest in him or July so they let them go. Although, by the time they had settled down the sky had changed and July was a Doll. Months later November became a contractor too," her lips closed.

"I'm guessing that MI6 have decided to transfer you somewhere else?"

"It's only temporary they've been having their hands full with section 3 and an empty old mansion on the edge of town is the most inconspicuous."

"But-"

Misaki could hear the sound of gunshots above them. She felt cold. She didn't need to feel any more sorrow.

"Take June and leave," she stated and Mao was already on it, pawing the release button the fluid began to drain, too slowly for Misaki's liking – the commotion upstairs was rapidly descending. She frowned as she carried June in her arms through the reinforced door that November had left open. _How could the syndicate have known that we were here?_

Misaki turned back to November's wife and she got her answer- it was obvious why he had spread such a ridiculous rumour about her being the wife. He lured them here to destroy the place, killing two birds with one stone.

"Valkyrie!" Mao yelled, running up to her.

"Madame O has just confirmed that we have clearance-" he said.

"Are you sure-" the basement door was kicked in, screeching across the floor Misaki dived behind the life support cylinder and reached for her gun. With July on one shoulder she sprinted out into the open Beretta blazing. She got two of the seven hooded contractors that began to fill the room. Misaki stood there pointing her Beretta at the one in the middle who was pulling her hood down. She looked nineteen.

"What's that gun going to-" Misaki watched the girl writhe; she saw the left side of her face go slack and then the right. Mute as her ears spewed blood, the girl's eyes dimmed and she fell with a dull thud. The others followed.

Swallowing her disgust at November's wife, she readjusted her glasses and ran for the door with an unconscious wet June on her shoulder. Mao was already there. They exchanged a nod before Misaki fell into the darkness.

**I have always wondered what November was like before the stars disappeared and I find the process of becoming a contractor quite interesting even though it seems to be a sudden change I decided to make it a process. Also, I really wanted Misaki to have a proper good bye to November 11 as she didn't in the anime. The next two chapters put all of these events in context so you can all finally understand what going on. Let me know what you think.**

**Kei. **


	5. Hei Vs The Shadows

**I've have this song in my head and of course it's drum and bass. So I'm just randomly tapping my foot to the beat in my head (as you do) and my family are just giving me worried looks, never mind. Both Hei and Misaki are in this one. Review and enjoy chums. ;)**

Chapter IV

They scuttled in like cockroaches. MI6 and CIA agents but dark shadows under the clouded night sky as they lurked in every door way making escape impossible. However, the people who were actually in the house were unknown cockroaches in their hooded tunics and black boots. The noise from their intrusion managed to reach Hei's ears from 10 meters away, amongst the branches of a tree. The calm breeze ruffled his hair. Evidently someone didn't want to be associated with this.

"Do you need any back up?" said the red haired man on the branch above him. Hei didn't remember his name. When he was done and Yin was safe he would kill them all anyway.

"No,"

"Good you have an hour to have our contractor in your custody," with that he disappeared just like he did with Hei when bringing him here. Teleportation. Hei felt as though he was on the precipice on the branch, as though if he just let go of the things weighing inside him then the breeze would push him off the branch and into oblivion. Everything below him was black and hollow but it was because of that why he was able to notice, through all of the scuttling, a hooded figure sauntering from the front entrance to a MI6 agent stationed at the side entrance. He swung onto a shorter and closer tree to find the MI6 agent toss two grenades to the hooded figure from a metre away. Hei's eyes narrowed, and narrowed further upon seeing that the figure was wearing black leather gloves. . .

_Our contractor wears a black trench coat with the bottom half of the face covered and a veil over the eyes. If you can't see the face our contractor wears thick black leather gloves. You'll know when you see him._

This was the contractor. It explains why he kept such a distance to avoid his face being noticed. The contractor began to walk away from the back of the house towards the city just as two loud booms resonated from the inside of the house. Hei had to squint but the grenades were not in his hands. He tailed him into the city and with the chaos that followed. No one noticed Mao jump through the kitchen window and dart towards the first tree that Hei had perched on, conversing with the figure behind it.

A park, he had followed her through alleyways and over rooftops where the contractor had taken him to a park densely packed with trees. It was rather that he knew that Hei had been following him (unlikely) or it was a shortcut to somewhere. Either way, from yet another tree branch, Hei knew that at the moment the contractor reached the grass clearing, he would pounce. Hei noticed that, from behind, the guy walked funny and it was easier to tell with no leaves to speckle the view.

It was time.

The split blade sliced the night air, hurtling towards the target's leg, though with a fast side step, was avoided. The Reaper then seemed to fall from the sky and in front of the hood figure with little more than a milliseconds notice before he greeted the contractor with a kick to the head. Missed again, as the figure ducked and rolled to the side; Hei edged closer only to in return be greeted with an attempted leg swipe from the target; he easily jumped over the leg and directed a fly kick towards his crouched head which again was missed, the heel of his foot brushing the black turtle neck face mask – the hood fell back. Hei stood stunned.

_He's a woman?_

Grasping the opportunity to strike, the woman kicked him away, doubling back as her black hair cascaded in waves down past her shoulders. There was a pause as she got up from her crouch and an eerie silence descended because even though the half veil shaded her eyes he could feel their ambiguous and unwavering stare burrowing into him. It was yet another thing which concerned Hei, the world was venturing into a new age and people, especially contractors, were morphing into things that aren't as rational as they used to be.

A flash of red in her eyes had Hei flip backwards to narrowly dodge a black blur that crashed into the spot where he was standing. He threw his charged split blade at her arm but it was no longer there as it felt the said arm coil around his neck. She was behind him and pressing him against her body in a choke hold. He didn't even see her move, though luckily, thanks to the close quarters, he felt a gun at her hip and elbowed her stomach. He did a forward roll before aiming the gun at her head. He felt uneasy.

She stood still for a moment and that's when Hei felt it coming, he went to throw his retrieved split blade causing her to fade into the black before he supercharged the gun and thrust it behind him into her stomach. She made a pained cry, stumbling back, before the tree's shadows elongated and encircled Hei, hugging him. Clutching her stomach, her eyes flashed red again as she put her hand on his face but she didn't notice his freehand. Hei's hand enveloped her face and, releasing their power at the same time, both contractors fell to the ground in agony.

It was Hei's turn. Rolling on top of her he pinned her down and attempted to electrocute her but her body was casted in a shadow and it had no effect. He drew his blade underneath her chin but her eyes flashed again and it was gone. Hei, marvelled by the strength of her legs as they flipped him over, felt a new vigour to her movements. Her knuckled punches to his stomach caused him to cry out unsure of whether anything was broken beneath the punches. She decided to draw her gun and very violently smacked him over the head with it. Hei, seeing stars, grabbed the hand and pushed her over where they continued to roll in the struggle for dominance, bodies pressing into each other as breath mingled along with their arms and legs.

The contactor won the struggle. With both hands narrowing his air waves she finally spoke:

"You see, not everyone is rendered helpless at electrocution but everyone gets consumed by a dark darker than black," when her words belatedly reached his ears he already felt crash of his own black pain and self loathing choked him and travelling up to his head where his vision began to darken. . .

_This is the price, the price for all of my sins. It was inevitable and it has been since Bai._

He closed his eyes as the contractor let go and presumably watched his death. He felt something ease in her and everything was calm. Hei's vision was blurring as the shadows continued their choke however, he saw her take off the veil and her eyes were sparkling.

Suddenly, the shadows disappeared.

She jerked her head up to the left as if someone else was there and he was able to make out her shocked eyes and then whose eyes they were. With all of the pain gone complete disbelief took him and compelled him to pinch the face mask when she was getting up. She slapped his hand away a second too late.

"What …" he began though with still shocked eyes she disappeared before him. Getting up he scanned the area and he turned into the face of the red haired man.

"Well done for locating our trump card. The boss is waiting for us," he said with an amused face. Hei didn't get the chance protest before he was teleported before Madame O. He didn't know where in the world he was because only one repetitive though replayed in his mind.

_It was . . ._

" – he will be working exclusively with Valkyrie on her missions –"

Misaki strode through the conference rooms doors, and hour later. Walking down the aisle she tuned into Madame O's announcement, her field of vision only consisted of Madame O standing at the front on the platform. Misaki removed her hood and her field of vision widened - to him.

She pulled out her Beretta. The irony stung. Why was it that when she was chasing him she couldn't find him yet when she vowed to stop chasing him he suddenly turns up on her doorstep? It was so damn ironic that he would turn up when she was no longer a cop but a contractor herself. The worst thing was that probably he wasn't even here for her.

"We don't need him," she stated.

"You'll find that we do," Madame replied

"He betrayed our middle path long ago so he could rot in his self loathing. We have Hazuki and Zero he's only going to cause us more trouble if -"

"- if we don't have him on our team. I'm glad you understand," Madame interjected she took a moment to smirk before continuing,

"Look, the syndicate and this unknown accomplice are recruiting strong contractors and I no longer believe that this is to merely gain power. They are recruiting the powerhouses, the ones capable of destroying cities and I am going to do whatever it takes to find out what they planning therefore we are going to do everything in our power to hinder their little plight. Including capturing the contractor before they do"

"Then why don't we just detain him –"

"My, my we're not being quite rational now are we? He would be more useful on the field."

"He is a broken man there's no telling when he will betray us. He betrayed our cause before when he left-"

"You mean he betrayed you."

**I really wanted to show the change in Misaki and how she felt about Hei's actions. The pride is uncharacteristic sorry about that. Get the ready for the next chapter because the floodgates are about to open…**

**Kei.**


	6. Their Desperation and June's Power

**I am really sorry for the delay in uploading. I just handed in my creative writing coursework and I am as nervous as nervous thing on nervous tablets at a nervous party. I'm interested to hear what you think about this one.**

**Enjoy friendlies.**

Chapter V

The heat rose to Misaki's cheeks. She stole a glance at Hei who stood with a blank stare at the door to the left of Madame O. _He is always looking to escape _she thought.

It was then when she felt the eyes of Mina, Goro, Zero and Mao on her back and realised that they had been sitting at the back of the room the whole time. Misaki hid her embarrassment and stormed out of the room leaving a smiling Madame O behind her. The blonde then dismissed everyone ordering them not to come into contact with her. When Zero closed the conference door she turned to Hei.

"You'll be able to see Yin tomorrow, for now, I want you to rest. I'm sure that fighting The Black Valkyrie is no easy feat. Your room is B2 the door will be unlocked for you and the keys will be on the coffee table," she said sweetly.

Following her instructions he left the room and took the stairs to B level, the dark blue morning sky doused him as he walked to the end of the corridor. He was still enduring life and he didn't feel in sync with the world of section 3 nor did he intend to, he just wanted to fix Yin. Seeing Misaki just made his insides clench and burn, a feeling he hadn't fully experienced since Amber; it was anger.

As promised, the door was unlocked and he quietly slipped in where he found the source of his anger and hurt pull the hooded tunic over her head to reveal a milky complexion against a black sports bra. She had already taken off the stolen boots and trousers.

Hei sprang forward grabbing her and slammed her body on the desk to the left of her. His right hand pinned her stomach down whilst his left held both hands above her head.

"Why are _you_ a contractor?" his voice was raised and angry.

"What are you doing in-" she was silenced by the pain of his palm grinding the skin around her wrists. He moved closer to her, leaning in and slipping his leg in between her bare ones. Suddenly, the world blurred around her as he filled her vision once again. He was shaven. The potent stir of nostalgia ebbed through her, making her warm with the memory of him, making her weak. His eyes pierced through her but she found that the butterflies in her stomach enjoyed the attention.

"Answer me!" his demanding tone instantly destroyed the mask of Li. Remembering what the past four years had brought her, her eyes began to burn in defense.

"It's because of you why I made that wish! You showed me that we were on the same path all those years ago, yet you abandoned me when I was trying to help you. I chased you and you turned me into this-"

"I didn't ask you follow me," he said simply.

"That's not the point you-"

"You're angry," Hei finally deduced. Misaki uncharacteristically rolled her eyes and said dryly, "Tch, I wasn't aware that the great Black Reaper was blind," Hei turned his palm into a fist, sinking his knuckles into her stomach.

"Shut up, I heard what you said and I'm telling you that your accusations don't make any sense-"Misaki's sudden yell cut through his cold demeanour. Hei could feel her body heat up in rage.

"Don't tell me that my life for the past four years hasn't made any sense! Are you so devoid of all humanity that you can't comprehend that for the past three years I've been trying to protect you? To protect the man that I knew as Li-"

"I've had enough of that alias. He never existed and you will never see that man again," he said, voice slightly raised. At that moment in time he only had eyes for her as she lay there exposed and struggling against him as her passionate words reached him. Something stirred inside him however, he still couldn't see the source of her anger, she wasn't making sense.

"You are insufferable. You walk around feeling sorry for yourself whilst people lay the_ lives_ on the line and make sacrifices so _you_ can be happy. Can't you see? Bai, Amber and Yin _wanted _you to be Li, they risked their lives to build a world where you wouldn't have to," Misaki said, her emotions rising. It infuriated her more that he wasn't even aware of the effect that he had on her and his previous comrades.

"You know nothing about me, Kirihara," he said trying to stop this from blowing out of proportions. Hei didn't like the feelings that were exploding inside him and a grimace appeared on his face from her words. He was beginning to become annoyed at her bitterness towards him. He didn't damn well owe her anything; she wasn't his responsibility.

"Don't Kirihara me as if we are strangers, as if you didn't spend that night with me under the clouds and opened up to me…"Hei then noticed the rapidness of his beating heart in response to her audacity but his body noticed how frequently her leg rubbed against his …

"If I am such a stranger to you then what gives you the right come in here and interrogate me about my life? You didn't care before, when I was human…" the stray strands of hair that rested on her moist lips fluttered to the rhythm of her frequent breaths. Her hair was dispersed like a halo around her head, her skin burning against the brown table. The reaper had been subdued by her. The humid air that lay between his world and hers had intoxicated him and numbed the pain of the bullets that she shot at him. She was so alive but so opaque under his eyes.

Misaki could tell that he wasn't looking at her but he was trying to look _through _her as if she should be transparent or something. She didn't like that. This was it her chance to release all the hurt that she had endured to finally get through to him. She wasn't just someone he could disregard.

Misaki looked into his eyes and saw a slight struggle but otherwise he was completely still, unmoved. She narrowed her eyes, trying to focus on him and not the intoxicating breath on her skin, not the slightly pensive look on his handsome face or his ambiguous gaze. She needed to trigger some reaction from him otherwise it would just be another empty chase.

She tried a new tactic.

"Don't try and deny who you are, it's just sad Li," she murmured, breaking Hei out of his reverie and brushing aside his other incomprehensible feelings; he became irritated once more.

"I'm not-"

"Why are you so afraid of your name, _Li?_" she said softly, innocently tilting her head slightly to the side.

"Don't call me that."

"Why? does it hurt you to remember the days when everyone was alive? You hurt me, _Li._"

"Stop."

"Why should I _Li_? _You _didn't stop when I asked you, you_ never_ stopped. It's your name isn't it? Why run away from the city that adored you, _Li,_" she teased, her unusually mocking voice made it hard for the iron doors inside him hold back the waves. He didn't know what he would do once they were released and really didn't want to find out but Hei was so tired.

"Don't call me-" Hei started.

"You can take off the mask now, Li," she said, Hei took a deep breath.

"Don't call me that."

"Li…"

"Misaki…" he leaned dangerously close to her. By this time, Hei had no conception of the world or the barriers that they had each built themselves. All he knew was that he was tired and she wouldn't stop talking. Unfazed she opened her mouth: "L-"

He embraced her violently.

Misaki's defences collapsed under the force of Hei's kiss. He lifted her head up to him and upon releasing her hands she looped them around his neck pulling him closer into her. She had no idea what she was thinking or whether she was thinking at all as they passionately collided, all Misaki knew was that with every gasp of air they took, they dug closer to feeling something- nothing more.

Maybe Misaki dug too much.

She wasn't sure whether Hei tasted liked anything before, but now it seemed to Misaki that his tongue was painting the inside of her mouth in bitter pain. The taste became dominant. She began to wince with every thrust of his tongue and before long her body experienced a surge of energy before glowing that all too familiar blue when his shadows began to seep into her.

Images of Yin and his sister etched themselves in her mind as myriads of deaths blitzed and burst simultaneously. She couldn't breathe because of the torrent of numerous and the black feelings that flowed from his mouth as she desperately struggled against him. Hei didn't notice he was lost in her, craving that warmth that he had been deprived of but Misaki knew that it wasn't the true warmth that he was looking for.

She couldn't stop herself from absorbing his pain. Misaki mustered all of her strength into her shadows and threw them at Hei. He flew backwards crashing to the floor whilst she, drawing in huge breaths, slid slowly to the floor.

The world that Hei had tried so hard to forget returned to him, along with his barriers and pain. When he walked towards the door he pretended that he wasn't out of breath, that he wasn't confused, that he didn't long for another chance to feel, Hei just walked out the door passing Madame O, Zero and a boy, who pointed to his real room across the corridor, leaving as cold as he had been without her. Misaki repositioned her glasses breathless, whispering afterwards,

"I'm not the woman you used to know and I can't save you from something that has defeated me too. I made a wish that day that I would be stronger so I won't let you play me again Li."

Misaki Kirihara slumped unconscious still glowing. As if staged Madame Oreille strode into the room with Zero who held June by the hand – his eyes were a piercing red. Madame O broke the silence,

"You can stop June," June's eyes returned to their ethereal grey. Misaki star became inactive.

"This was very well played Madame, you killed three birds with one stone. So how are you going to use this new weapon of yours?" he asked with a smile.

"I won't."

"And why is that?"

"Because I don't like the fact that Izanami gave Misaki contractor abilities without a price. I need more information before I make a move I need to figure out the full extent of her abilities." she said walking out of the room with June. The handsome man said nothing; instead he walked over to Misaki's slumped form, picked her up and placed her under the covers of her bed.

"A doll that enhances contractor abilities, eh? I hope you remember soon Misaki before Blitz returns." Zero smiled, pulled up a chair and fell into a deep slumber beside her.

** Well I found that difficult to write (you can probably tell). Hei is so confused I just see him as this lost little boy who has been blind folded and spun around a thousand times. I think that as an adult it's easy to forget about the real desires and motivations that you had when you were younger so I think that Hei did feel some kind responsibility for her in Season one. **

**Let me know what you think guys.**

**Kei :)**


	7. Before Shadows Continued

**Salut! This is just a short chapter. Tell me what you think and stuff because it would be nice to know if you like it so far and things. Drinking cranberry juice with ice cubes in it when it's freezing… not the best idea I have ever had but it's worth it. **

**Enjoy :)**

Chapter VI

_Misaki hovered in Limbo. With Hei and Izanami so far below her reach merely resembled a child's strained reach for a fallen toy. She couldn't understand as she hovered, haloing above the two figures below, why this was happening. Why did evolution want to take their lives just as contractors were beginning to feel, as dolls were beginning to reason and as humans were beginning to think beyond the stars? Why destroy them when they were growing? Why did Izanami decide to destroy Hei's middle path?_

_Her eyes rested on Hei again as he reached for Izanami's chest in aching slow motion, his hand going a centimetre per second when she thought, Why him? But the information that stared her blankly in the face answered her question. He was different no, she corrected herself, he was special; special for being able to persuade the syndicate to recruit him as well as Bai, special for being equally as skilled as his sister, special for being close to the memory of the future, special for fusing with his sister, special for not having a price and special for still holding onto his humanity. A small smile appeared; Of course a man who was the first to evolve would be the one to decide humanity's fate. That was when the sight before Misaki clicked into place. It was never about the gates or the syndicate or good and evil; a frown began to touch her features as she thought it through. It was much more than her cat and mouse chases with BK201 it was about humanity earning the right to change its own destiny. Looking down at Izanami her unworldly radiance made her seem almost god like before Hei's tall tired and black form._

_He was the embodiment of humanity whilst Izanami stood in his path as the physical form of evolution. Of course she couldn't save him because from the moment one becomes special they are unreachable by the likes of those who are not. Li Shenshung was already in hell when she met him. Even some humans were effected; Alice was somewhat special because of her parentage and Misaki's heart started to ache once more because she couldn't save her from hell either._

_Misaki watched his hand illuminate her chest as his power began to consume them. Misaki withered away from the light as little holes appeared in her perception of her own life. She put on the façade of strength yet she didn't attain it, she swore to protect but wasted her time seeking mystery and love. She should been seeking the power that she did not have to save the people who could not defend themselves from the clutches of fate. She once believed that fate could be changed but as the light filled her vision she abandoned the dream and she let her eye lids droop . . ._

**_No! Misaki don't give up. Don't give up on Hei. You can change this. Please!_**

_Yin?_

_Misaki's eyes fluttered open. Even when she had given up she couldn't resist her fighting nature. She couldn't see where yin was due to the light however, Misaki responded to her in her mind._

**_I can only change this if I give up on Hei_**

**_Don't-_**

**_No! I can't be strong if I am hung up on him. My life has proved that . . . _**

**_But-_**_ Yin's presence was extinguished with the rest of Misaki's surroundings._

**_I am sorry_**_ … She thought as the light reached out to her._

_…__**but I will not chase that man anymore Yin. **__Misaki closed her eyes and remembered Madame Oreille's words._

**_Make a wish Misaki . . . _**

_Before she disappeared into the light, against her fears and doubts, she cried out, "I wish, for the power to protect people – so the helpless won't have to suffer!" As the white light finally consumed her, she heard a menacing voice._

_"Sure, I'll grant your wish Misaki Kirihara," smiled Izanami._

**Izanami is such a (Insert word of your choice)!**

** Well now you know what happened at the gate and how she became a contractor and Izanami's involvement.** I **don't feel that it is as well written as the others so hopefully my bad writing didn't kill the story!**

**Kei J**


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